Let’s be honest, playing with Lego isn’t just for kids. It is the favorite pastime of so many people because you can create the most beautiful things out of simple blocks. It’s so much fun when kids get into building and start Lego groups to come together as a team.
But, research on parents and Lego found that they encouraged 76% of boys to play with the bricks versus only 24% of girls. There is definitely a big gap in the number of boys and girls playing with Lego, which is what this father suddenly realized.
More info: Reddit
Overprotective dad is shocked when his daughter is the only girl at a Lego meet, tells her it’s inappropriate to go to the next event
Image credits: Alena Darmel (not the actual photo)
Woman’s 12YO stepdaughter loves Lego and has a YouTube channel to showcase her work, and through that, she got invited to a meetup with other equally passionate kids in her city
Image credits: Vlad Hilitanu (not the actual photo)
The stepmom realized the kid was the only girl in the group, other teens were shocked too because the 12YO had never shared her name or any personal information
Image credits: RDNE Stock project (not the actual photo)
When the woman told her husband about it, he said the kid shouldn’t be a part of future meets because it was an “all-boys” group, which made the stepmother burst out laughing
Image credits: u/throaway20001003
The dad was annoyed by the woman’s reaction and said she doesn’t “understand what it’s like for hormonal boys being this age,” but the mom called him silly, and eventually he conceded
The stepmom who posted the story is a 38-year-old woman married to a 40-year-old man. He has a daughter who is 12 that is passionate about Lego. That’s why she started a channel where she could share videos of her building things. Her stepmother and dad gave her permission to make the channel and also made sure she did not show her face online or reveal personal information.
Because of her hobby, she managed to make friends with the same interests who also had Lego-based channels. These teens all decided to meet up nearby. When they met, the boys were surprised to see the girl at their event. Since she had not shared her name or personal information, they did not realize that she was a girl. But all the boys immediately got over it and went back to discussing their passion.
Just as the girl was the only female in the group of Lego enthusiasts, it can be observed that playing with Lego is very often a male-dominated activity. Studies on Lego characters have found that male characters are shown as having agency, independence, and expertise, whereas female characters are often shown in passive or ornamental roles. Although the brand is working to overcome the gender play gap, it might take a while before this space becomes a level playing field.
That’s exactly why the dad was so surprised to know that the meetup consisted of all boys and that his daughter was the sole girl there. He did not take the news well and told his wife that it wasn’t appropriate for the girl to go to future events. But the stepmom did not take his concerns seriously and laughed at him. She felt that he was being overprotective.
Image credits: leah hetteberg (not the actual photo)
According to Focus On Your Child, “in most cases, a father’s protectiveness towards their daughters is heavily influenced by their personal experience. As a man, he’s intimately aware of how men think and how they treat the women around them.” This is exactly what the dad said when he mentioned that he knew how hormonal boys were at that age.
The only problem with having a father who is very overprotective is that it can affect the way his daughter views the world. As she gets older she might be oversensitive and afraid of taking risks. Studies also show that very sheltered individuals are at greater risk of suffering from anxiety disorders and are always stressed due to all their fears and worries.
The stepmom also told commenters a bit more about the event and the precautions they had taken for their daughter, saying: “you’d be glad to know we follow her online interactions pretty closely, we knew this event would take place, we saw it was a legitimate meet up. They weren’t some anonymous strangers on the internet, they were kids that met in person, just as I met some of their parents that were there and exchanged contacts. I’m even developing a friendship with the mother of one of the boys because it turns out we’re in the same line of work.”
It’s important for the father to realize that he has done all he can to protect his daughter and that she needs the freedom to explore her hobbies and interests. Research states that family is the first agent of socialization and that parents often treat their boys and girls differently. This means that sons often get greater freedom and privilege while daughters are given more restrictions.
Luckily the girl’s stepmother was able to confront the father about his misconceptions and stopped him from depriving his daughter of new friendships. Netizens also chimed in, saying that her husband was probably projecting and that he shouldn’t make that his child’s burden. Do you think the poster was right to laugh at her husband? Tell us your thoughts, and let us know if you’ve ever been this passionate about Lego.
Commenters sided with the woman and suggested that if the father was truly concerned, he should have a talk with his daughter and openly share his feelings
